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Whether you are a couple who recently got married or a couple who have been together for long years, you need to be constantly reminded that there is something called “us” in your b-US-y life. Reconnect and strengthen your relationship with an evening of fun and coffee.

For me, Date Nights should be…

Scheduled – It is a decision to make, a time to block, and a budget to set. Make it a weekly routine and never miss out on stories your special someone would love to share.

Strategic -No movies, no phone calls, no serious discussions. Focus on your shared dreams, hopes and fond memories. No group dates. This time should be all about your relationship alone.

Special – It should be a cherry on top, an extra scoop of ice cream on your halo-halo, or extra pearls in you bubble tea. Got it? Special.

Because Every Memory Matters – Memfy is giving away a Coffee Date treat.

HOW TO JOIN

Promo Terms & Conditions

Open to all residents of Metro Manila.

Submission of entries is from February 4, 2014 – February 15, 2014.

Voting period is from February 16, 2014 to February 28, 2014, 12 midnight EST +8. Votes before this period will not be honored.

Winning Couple will be announced on March 1, 2014.

All submissions will be screened. Photos and write-ups submitted should not contain elements/materials that infringe or violate any person’s rights (e.g. copyright, trademark registrations, etc.) or otherwise violate the law. Entries should also not contain profanity, malicious, seditious, obscene, political and religious comments/content, or statements that are derogatory or offensive. Memfy reserves the right to disqualify entries in violation of any of these criteria.

Ownership of all intellectual property to the entries to be submitted and/or uploaded by the Contestants in connection with the contest shall be owned by Memfy. In this regard, Contestants acknowledge and agree that (i) Memfy shall be the exclusive owner of all intellectual property to the to the entries submitted and/or uploaded, (ii) Memfy shall have the right to use the entries submitted and/or uploaded as it may found necessary.

Contestants can only send one entry. The duplicate will not be considered as a valid entry.

Winners will be notified by registered mail, phone or by e-mail.

Winners will receive their prizes via courier. Courier fees will be shouldered by Memfy. Prizes will be shipped within 30 days.

The contest and its prizes are no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Starbucks Corporation.

When you’re bad at scrapbooking or just can’t commit to start or maintain one, here are some ideas I compiled for you (and me). Let’s start keeping those happy memories alive!

PHOTOBOOK

If you love scrapbooking but have no space to store stickers, stamps, scissors, punchers, colored pens, papers, laces, wires, and a lot more, then digital scrapbooking might work for you. Just compile and scan photos, go online, order your album and wait for it to be delivered right at your doorsteps. By the way, Photobooks also save your time, money and shelf space.

Collect sand and dirt – and the happy memories with it. Label properly and keep it out of reach of children and clumsy adults, or you’ll end up throwing away your memories.

You can try this too. Spill-proof and needs just a little amount of sand.

TEE SHIRT QUILT

If you’re like my husband who seems very much attached with his shirts, this might work for you.

TRAVEL CASE

Keeping memorabilia of events and trips has never been this easy. Say good bye to scrapbooks that can’t seem to hold that Ice Cream spoon (I tried including that once) or that impossible-to-stick Royce Plastic Bag.

Grateful Jar

Count your blessings daily. Keep photos, movie tickets, or even note cards all in one place. Write down successes, pains and other things to be grateful for. Open on New Year’s Eve, and take time to remember how good the year has been.

We made one for our little Prince to be opened on his 21st birthday. I’ll be sharing more about that on a different post.

But basically, put anything that will give your child a glimpse of what happened when he was born – ultra sound photos or clips, hospital bills, first set of clothes, first pair of shoes, first toy, newspaper or magazine, first family photo, photo of his first home and a lot more.

There you have it! Enjoy making memories, and keeping them remembered.

I’m not blessed with a beautiful silky hair. I started treating my hair when I was in 5th grade and totally forgot how my natural hair actually looks like. So after my big day, I bravely challenged myself: To Meet my Natural Hair. I am secured that my husband, King, will accept me no matter what. Well, he had no choice, we’re already married.

THE STORY

2011: With my husband 3 days after our big day.

January 2012: Welcoming 2012 with a bang, and a shorter, curly do. I tried digitally perming my hair to cover the still rebonded part.

April 2013: The perm easily loosened, so I then decided to try the pixie cut for the first time. Never felt SOOOO free! Learned I was pregnant a few months too!

I embraced the failure and said hello to chemicals again. I know that I should be content of what I have. I tried but I really struggled in managing my time and squeezing fix-my-stubborn-hair-time in the morning.

I guess I should research and get more tips the next time I accept this challenge.

While gathering much needed information on moving to our new home, I chanced upon these smart tips from A-Weddings Blog.

Don’t be all boxed in.

When moving, the first thing that comes to mind is to box it all in. But the trick to moving easier is not to just box them all in. For example, you can use your pot holders to store your knives. Or stick clothes or dirty laundry into your washer. The trick is to fill up all the empty spaces of your appliances or furniture so that it’ll save precious space on the moving vehicle itself.

Pack it tight so items won’t move while you’re on the move.

What’s the worst thing that can happen while you’re on the move? Well, it’s that of your stuff spilling out of their boxes. To make sure this does not happen, make sure that you pack it tight (not bursting though) so that items will stay in place.

Plan a basic layout on how to load your stuff into the moving vehicle.

With furniture, appliances, mattresses, clothes and all the contents of your home being moved, it will surely be a hard time for you to think of how to stuff it all in one go. There are a lot of techniques on how to stack it in but you’ll best be served if you study the basics first.

Categorize which goes where.

You can use color-coded stickers so you and your helpers would easily figure out which goes where. This way, when unpacking time comes, you won’t have to run back and forth and break your back searching for that box that contains whatever you needed to be put in a certain place.

Tickets? Check. Hotel? Check. Itinerary? Check… The trip’s all set but what about you? Here’s how you can conquer the flight with flying colors.

AT THE AIRPORT

Get to the airport early. I can’t imagine running around to catch that plane while carrying a baby and a whole lot of stuff. Manage and lessen stress by being on time or even a little early. Yes, some airports have special lanes but that’s not a guarantee.

Plan what to carry. We only had two huge luggage bags that had everything we needed. King carried a backpack for all our gadgets and documents, while I took care of the baby and the baby bag. Remember to check-in as much luggage as possible.

Bring the Stroller up to the gates. Consider bringing the stroller all the way to the boarding gates for convenience. You can surrender it at the gates anyway

Change diaper before boarding. Most planes have very small changing areas that can be challenging for big babies. In worst cases, changing on the floor near the bulkhead area is the only option. Thus, a need for a Diaper Changing Pad. What else will you need?

Baby Sterilized Water. Some airports would only allow 3 oz. of liquid to be carried inside the plane. So prepare clean empty baby bottles instead and buy sterilized distilled water inside the plane. Air Asia, however, put no limit on this. Better ask your airline first.

Powdered Milk. There’s no limit for this but make sure you pre-measure and put them in nicely sealed baby milk powder dispensers.

Food and Toy to keep baby entertained.

Diaper. I packed just enough diapers for the flight and possible delays. I decided to buy the rest in Hong Kong to save space.

First Aid Kit. I brought the basics: Thermometer, Paracetamol, Small Bandages, and such. I also brought Prince’s vitamins with me.

The 3 B’s of Comfort: Baby Blanket, Beanies, Bibs

Wet wipes for diaper changes and cleaning baby’s hands and face

Diaper Changing Pad and plastic bags for soiled diapers

A complete set of clothes for baby and mommy for spit-ups, diaper leakage and even spills

Mommy’s phone, wallet, sunglasses, and make-up… yes, make-up.

IN THE AIRPLANE

Liquids for pressure and dehydration. I’m glad a friend shared this to me. Not only that it can keep baby well-hydrated, offering milk or any other liquids can help baby’s ears adjust to cabin pressure changes. It should be given to wide awake babies during take-off and landing. Eating baby food can help too.

Should I buy baby a seat? Children under 2 years old can sit on an adult’s lap. Just make sure that he’s in a sling carrier or wearing a child seatbelt available in-flight to keep baby safe in case of turbulence.

Getting off the plane. Don’t rush off the plane. Wait for the other passengers to get out to prevent long standing and waiting.

Bon Voyage! Don’t forget to get baby a passport (yes, he needs one for international flights).

It’s our first time to fly with the little prince. Though I’m pretty confident that we’ll blend in well in Hong Kong (HK), it’s the preparation before the travel that concerned me.

Here’s the first part of tips on how we had everything in control – or close.

Cleared. Visit your baby’s pediatrician before the trip. Just to make sure s/he’s fit to travel, free from any illnesses and has all vaccines that may be needed.

Study your destination. Aside from the language and culture, be in the know of your destination city’s current news, events and weather forecast. Keep maps and navigators. Try to find out the area where you will be staying. Good that HK Tourism provided Apps for tourists that helped us a lot in planning our trip.

Baby and the Vacation Home. I had a lot of things to consider but here are my top concerns: Tub, Water Heater, Bottle Sterilizer and Crib. Good thing there are portable tubs, water heaters and sterilizers out there. Just make sure that sockets’ shape and voltages match. Speaking of sockets, outlet protectors and duct tapes would be helpful.

Look for friends and people you know. I love that Filipinos are scattered across the globe.

Now you know what to expect, from the weather forecast to transportation modes. It’s time to decide on what to pack.

Baby’s clothes. A good set of clothes right for the season gives baby a lot of ease. It was summer in HK so I packed in light, comfy clothes. But the airport and malls were freezing cold, and a typhoon landed in the middle of our travel. We had to walk, take flights of stairs, and ride the train and buses – in and out of humid or wet streets. Glad I brought sweaters, socks, beanies, and heavy pants.

Baby Food. I’m sure there’s baby food available everywhere. But thinking about money conversion rates, where to buy, and the food stock we have at home, I decided to stay on the safe side and bring snacks good for a week.

Baby Milk Formula and Vitamins. I brought in a can of formula milk and bottles of vitamins. Your baby’s brands may not be available in your destination country.

Stroller, Car Seat and Carriers. Not all streets and transportation modes (in HK and in some other countries) are stroller-friendly. So for smaller babies, it would be best if you have the basket carrier so you can move baby from the stroller and out, and vice versa without a hassle. But for bigger babies, investing on a light umbrella-type strollers and back-pack carriers can be really helpful. We found a good buy in SM Department Store, for only P999. Light, easy to fold, and cheap. Exactly like this…

Documents. The Passport and the Baby Book are the basics. If baby is travelling with only one parent or with other adults other than the parents, a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent/s is required.

Bags. King and I fit in our stuff in 1 big luggage, and we had a separate luggage for Prince. It’s a wonder how a tiny baby can use up too much space. King had a backpack for all the gadgets, and I carried the baby bag.

Dengue! Malaria! Yellow Fever! Encephalitis! These are some known diseases those ugly, pesky mosquitoes transmit. Though they can be treated, some may be fatal.

Good News Mommies! We can do something to protect our little babies!

Sharing with you Cycles® Sensitive Non-DEET Insect Repellent!

DEET or N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide is a chemical in insect repellents originally used by the U.S. Army in jungle warfares to repel insects inhabiting the forests. That sounds tough! But you might not want to use DEET products on your baby’s sensitive skin. Though DEET is generally safe when used as indicated, it is still a poison on your baby’s sensitive skin that can cause mild irritations or redness.

Instead, Cycles® Sensitive Non-DEET Insect Repellent uses Picaridin, a synthetic compound based on Piper or Pepper that is proved to be odorless, as effective, and less irritating to the skin than DEET.

Cycles® Sensitive Non-DEET Insect Repellent provides up to 8 hours protection against insects, and is paraben-free, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and available for babies from ages birth up. Available in Makati Supermarket, Alabang at PHP254, 100mL for babies 6 months up. That’s way cheaper than hospital bills. I’m sure this one’s in other leading Supermarkets too.

And for the King and Queen…

This has 3% DEET though. But that should be safe enough. SRP PHP69.50 at Makati Supermarket, Alabang.